North-Western PS calls for development cooperation

The Department of National Registration, Passport and Citizenship (DNRPC) in Mwinilunga district is making steady progress in issuance of birth certificates to children below the age of five. District Registrar, Gradson Kamanga, says the department under the UNICEF supported…

The Department of National Registration, Passport and Citizenship (DNRPC) in Mwinilunga district is making steady progress in issuance of birth certificates to children below the age of five.

District Registrar, Gradson Kamanga, says the department under the UNICEF supported Enhanced Chances for Human Development (EC4HD) programme, is registering and issuing close to 800 birth certificates monthly.

Speaking when he handed over birth certificates to parents at Chibwika Rural Health Centre as well as Chibwika and Mudyanyama Primary Schools, Mr Kamanga explained that the department has a target of issuing 2,500 birth certificates quarterly.

“For this quarter, we have again already passed our target because our CBVs who have been trained are really doing their job, so in every month we are targeting to issue out 833 birth certificates and more,” said Mr Kamanga.

He said the department is ensuring that every child in school and those in the community are registered and given birth certificates by working with teachers, health workers and community based volunteers such as Safe Motherhood Groups (SMAGs), Community Welfare Assistance Committees (CWACs).

Mr Kamanga added that through health staff and volunteers, the department is making sure that all children born at health facilities are registered before they are discharged and issued with birth certificates within a week.

He called on all parents and guardians in the district to ensure that their children acquire birth certificates as the document is important for determining the age of the child, enrollment in school, acquisition of National Registration Cards (NRCs).

Meanwhile, Gift Chilomba, a Community Health Assistant at Chibwika Rural Health Centre said every mother who delivers from the health facility is encouraged to carry the child’s birth record which is a key requirement in registration of birth certificates.

“So we receive the forms from our district office and we make sure to fill them in and send them back to our district offices where they are handed over to the registration department for printing the certificates,” she said.

And Florence Ngolofwana, who received birth certificates for her two children, said she was happy to have the birth documents because they will be easily identified as citizens of Zambia and will not struggle to have them registered for various government services and programmes.

“So I am very happy to receive these certificates especially after receiving the knowledge about the importance of registering our children for birth certificates” said Ms Ngolofwana.

She has since encouraged fellow parents around Chibwika satellite to avail their children so that they can be registered and issued with birth certificates.